Injured couple rescued from yacht aground in heavy surfThe Chairman of the RNLI, Michael Vernon, has written a letter of congratulation to helmsman William Walker-Jones of Criccieth's inshore lifeboat following the rescue of two people from a yacht aground on Porthmadoc Bar. The service was the first he had carried out as a helmsman and was made difficult by surf, shallow water, and the rolling and pitching of the grounded yacht.

Aground At 1238 on Thursday 7 October 1993 the deputy launching authority at Criccieth heard a radio Mayday call from the yacht Lady Amanda, a 36ft ketch. She was hard aground near Porthmadoc Bar with two people on board. The call was also heard, and responded to, by Holyhead MRSC which paged the crew.

The fourth person to arrive at the boathouse was Paul Filby, a shore helper with a small boat and seagoing experience, so the DLA selected him as the fourth crew member - as he wanted the lifeboat launched as quickly as possible.

The C class inshore lifeboat was launched at 1255 with a SW Force 4 and a slight to moderate sea with helmsman William Walker-Jones in command - the first time that he had commanded the boat on service. She reached Porthmadoc Fairway Buoy in about 10 minutes in an increasing wind and sea. From the Fairway Buoy the yacht could be seen, aground on the North Bank.

Lady Amanda had been trying to sail up the estuary to Porthmadoc, as her engine was not working, and the skipper was below seeking pilotage advice on the radio when the yacht's helmsman missed the channel entrance and she grounded.

The skipper had tried to sail her off, then dropped the anchor, lowered his sails - during which he was hit on the head by the boom, causing bleeding and black eyes - and sent out a Mayday.

Worsening Helmsman Walker-Jones made his approach head to sea in worsening conditions , the wind now SW Force 5 gusting 6, and with a breaking sea of up to 6ft in the shallow water. The time was 1310.

The helmsman could see that the yacht was rolling and pitching in the surf, obviously hard aground in the falling tide and snatching at her anchor as she pitched and rolled. At times the yacht was taking spray overall.

The helmsman attempted a starboard quarter approach, but the yacht's rollseemed heavier in this direction and he decided to try an approach from dead astern. However, the bow of the C class was almost struck by the counter stern as it dropped on a sea and the engines struck the sandy bottom in the trough of a wave.

He withdrew and attempted a port side approach. This was more successful, and for a few vital seconds helmsman Walker-Jones managed to hold the ILB alongside the yacht. The engines again touched the bottom, but she was held in position and the yacht's crew, a mature couple, were manhandled aboard by the ILB crew before she cleared the area.

The lifeboat had taken a substantial amount of water while manoeuvring and with the extra people onboard she seemed sluggish responding to the engines so the helmsman had a difficult time working clear of the yacht and the surf.

Transfer The casualties needed medical attention so it was decided to transfer them to a helicopter - which had arrived from RAF Valley. Once in relatively clear water the transfer began - made difficult by the motion of the ILB. The skipper of the yacht was transferred first, but it was fairly rough due to the motion, so helmsman Walker-Jones asked that the second transfer be made in deeper water with the lifeboat lying to the sea anchor, and a more comfortable transfer of the yacht's crew was made.

The ILB then headed back to Criccieth, made a net recovery and was refuelled and ready for service at 1410.

The two casualties were flown to hospital at Bangor where they were both treated for mild hypothermia, the skipper for a head injury and his wife for a broken finger. The yacht was refloated on the following day's high tide and towed to Porthmadoc..